This invention is in the fields of biochemistry, blood processing, and prosthetic devices.
In general, a `prosthetic device` is any device which is designed to substitute for a missing or defective part of the body. Although many prosthetic devices such as artificial limbs are mechanical in nature, a variety of prosthetic devices have been developed which are capable of processing blood or performing other internal functions. Most of these devices are used by connecting them to an artery and a vein, so that blood will circulate through them. The following descriptions are intended to provide a basic introduction to each device described; for more extensive discussion, the reader should refer to the references listed, and to other references known to those skilled in the art. Complete citations for books and articles are provided below.
As used herein, terms such as `body` `patient,` and `head` normally refer to research animals. However, it is possible that after this invention has been thoroughly tested on research animals, it might also be used on humans suffering from various terminal illnesses.